A proposed drug testing program for the Diamond R-4 School District is scheduled to be presented at the Thursday, March 10, Board of Education meeting, but the students who will undergo tests first have apparently already been chosen.
The minutes of the Feb. 10 board meeting on www.diamondwildcats.org indicate the district has drug test kits and they will be used "for members of the cooking team and FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes members."
Taxpayers don't need to worry about their money being spent on testing such known desperadoes as Christian athletes and barbecuers. "Three churches will cover the costs for these tests," according to the minutes. No mention was made of how much money the churches were contributing to the cause.
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In its Thursday morning edition, the Globe's editorial writer says that the idea proposed by State Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, and other senators to push a constitutional amendment to keep judges from having any power over school funding.
As usual, the specter of the late U. S. District Court Judge Russell Clark's decision to funnel state money into desegregation efforts in Kansas City and St. Louis was cited. I will agree that Judge Clark overstepped his bounds. Students in outstate school districts were deprived while Kansas City was able to build Taj Mahals and set up giant mock United Nations arrangements and fencing teams in an unsuccessful effort to equalize the schools. But I have little faith in the ability of state legislators to do any better. Most judges would not dream of taking the radical steps taken by Judge Clark. And without a check on their power, I hate to think of what shenanigans some of our self-serving legislators could come up with to better serve the people who pour money into their campaigns rather than the children of this state.
The Globe ended up saying the legislature should think about it carefully. Wow, now that is really taking a stand. The Globe should be able to take a look at the issue and take a stand on it.
The Globe concludes its editorial by saying, "But given the court's potential role in fashioning a new public education funding formula and the fact that putting together any plan under the pressure of a judge-determined time restriction could lead to more problems, legislators should give the amendment serious discussion and hearty debate."
The next editorial will probably suggest "But given the problems with our youth and the fact that putting together any plan to combat drug abuse could lead to more problems, the Diamond R-4 Board of Education should give testing Christian athletes and barbecuers serious discussion and hearty debate."
Or "But given the problems with 59-year-old serial killers in Wichita, Kansas, authorities should give putting the BTK killer on trial serious discussion and hearty debate."
Or to misquote Mel Brooks, "Let's give the Globe a laurel and hearty handshake." That last reference, of course, is a tribute to two gentlemen who very easily could write that kind of editorial.